There are many secrets about Lumon in Severance, and none of them make the company look honest or fair. The secrecy around Cold Harbor, the strict rules that keep the innies apart, and the mysterious Board all prove that Lumon cares more about hiding the truth than anything else.
Among all the strange things about Lumon, one of the most interesting is the presence of Miss Huang (Sarah Bock). The show has not explained much about her, but her role in the company has made many people curious.
Miss Huang first appeared in Season 2, when Mark S. (Adam Scott) returned to the severed floor and found her there. He never got an explanation for why a child was working at Lumon.
With Ms. Cobel (Patricia Arquette) gone and Milchick (Tramell Tillman) promoted, there was an open position on the severed floor. However, no one expected a child to take that role—except, of course, Lumon.
It is not surprising that Lumon ignores child labor laws because the company already mistreats its employees. Many fans have theories about Miss Huang, with some believing that she is severed like the other workers. However, Season 2, Episode 6, “Attila,” proves that this theory is false.
The truth is just as unsettling. Miss Huang is not severed, but she is an intern being trained for a larger role in the company. This shows that Lumon is not only exploiting adults but also shaping children to follow its beliefs.
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Miss Huang Is a “Wintertide Fellow” in Lumon’s Training Program
Miss Huang may be young, but she takes her job very seriously. She keeps a strict and professional attitude while maintaining distance from the employees she supervises. The show has not provided any details about her past, but the latest episode reveals more about her role.
When Milchick calls Miss Huang into his office to talk about her work, he reminds her that she has not yet completed her fellowship. He tells her she will not graduate until he considers her “Wintertide material.”
The show does not explain what “Wintertide” means, but Milchick gives her some guidance. He tells her, “This will mean using your time well, focusing on your own duties, and eradicating from your essence childish folly.” This statement does not clearly define her responsibilities, but it gives the audience a clue about her training.
Miss Huang’s time on the severed floor seems to be part of a learning process. She must prove that she is “Wintertide material” before moving on to something bigger. This idea matches a post from Lumon Industry’s LinkedIn page.
The page was created as a joke when the show started, but it introduced Miss Huang as the “Wintertide Fellow” of the quarter. Milchick often speaks in complicated ways, but the word “fellow” suggests that Miss Huang is an intern. Since many internships are unpaid, it is likely that Lumon is not even paying her.
This new information disproves several fan theories about Miss Huang. She is not severed, she is not a robot, and she is not a clone. However, the truth is still disturbing. Lumon may not be experimenting on her, but they are manipulating her.
Miss Huang’s Storyline Shows How Lumon Shapes Young Minds
Miss Huang’s presence in the company proves that Lumon is shaping children’s minds to believe in Kier Eagan’s teachings. They are not just hiring workers; they are creating the workers they want by controlling what they learn. This idea is not entirely new.
In Season 1, there was a photograph of Ms. Cobel at the Myrtle Eagan School for Girls. However, seeing Lumon train children in the present is far more unsettling than seeing evidence of it in the past.
Miss Huang may be following the same path as Ms. Cobel, who was once loyal to Lumon but was eventually fired. If Lumon could so easily remove Ms. Cobel, they could do the same to Miss Huang in the future.
To train Miss Huang, Lumon must extend its control beyond its own walls. The company has always relied on loyalty from its employees, but Miss Huang’s presence shows how Lumon builds that loyalty from an early age.
Miss Huang has likely been raised to follow Kier Eagan’s beliefs since she was very young. This means she has never had the chance to question them. Since she was introduced to these ideas as a child, she believes in them completely.
Milchick has occasionally questioned some of Lumon’s rules, but Miss Huang does not think that way. She follows Lumon’s teachings without hesitation. Since she has been trained this way her entire life, she does not see any problem with how she is treated.
Miss Huang Fully Accepts Lumon’s Teachings
One of the most frightening aspects of this storyline is how much Miss Huang believes in Lumon’s philosophy. She is intelligent and capable of handling her responsibilities, but she does not question the company’s ethics.
In Season 2, Episode 5, “Trojan’s Horse,” Miss Huang criticizes Milchick’s methods. She insists that innies should not be treated like real people. When Irving (John Turturro) is fired, his innie is permanently gone. His coworkers want to hold a funeral for him, but Miss Huang disagrees.
She reminds Milchick that this is against company policy. She believes that allowing a funeral would encourage innies to “feel like people,” which, in her mind, is completely unacceptable. Most of Lumon’s leadership shares this belief, but hearing it from a child is especially disturbing.
Miss Huang’s blind loyalty is not surprising, given the way she was raised. She has been trained to accept Lumon’s teachings without question. This is the real problem. Since she has never known any other way of life, she does not think critically about her role in the company. Instead, she seeks approval from Lumon’s leaders.
Her character shows how Lumon maintains control over its employees. The company does not just hire workers—it molds them from a young age, ensuring they grow up believing in its ideology.
Miss Huang’s Role Reflects Lumon’s Unethical Behavior
Lumon has already proven itself to be a cruel and secretive company. The presence of Miss Huang only adds to its list of unethical actions. By training children to follow Kier Eagan’s beliefs, Lumon ensures that its future employees will remain loyal.
Miss Huang does not see herself as a victim. Instead, she is an active participant in Lumon’s system. However, she is also a child who has never known anything else. She has been shaped by Lumon’s teachings, and she sees no reason to question them.
Her character highlights one of the most chilling aspects of Severance. Lumon’s control goes beyond its employees—it reaches into the lives of children, shaping their beliefs before they have a chance to think for themselves.
As Severance continues, viewers will likely learn more about Miss Huang and what “Wintertide” truly means. However, one thing is already clear: Lumon’s reach extends further than anyone imagined.
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